DURBAN — Kaizer Chiefs and SuperSport United will be looking to end the season on a high when they clash heads in the 2013 Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban this afternoon.
Supersport
Kick off is 3pm.
The two sides will be eager to cap off what has been a contrasting season for both sides with victory in the Nedbank Cup final this weekend.
Amakhosi were crowned the 2012/2013 Premier Soccer League Champions last week with a 1-1 draw against Matsatsantsa in the penultimate game of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) campaign.
SuperSport, on the other hand, finished in sixth position on the log. Chiefs will be eager to claim a memorable cup double against the defending champions of the Nedbank Cup. Matsatsantsa won the 2012 edition with a 2-0 win over Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns.
SuperSport reached the final of the 2013 chapter with a 3-2 extra-time win over Platinum Stars while Chiefs managed a nervy 2-1 win over National First Division outfit United FC.
Kaizer Chiefs captain Itumeleng Khune says his side’s preparations for the final have gone well and that it is all about continuing to “reclaim the glory”. “SuperSport deserve our respect, but we are going out there to give our fans something to smile about. I think we have done that in our league games and it hasn’t been easy,” said Khune.
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“Going into the final under coach Stuart Baxter, the preparations have been going very well, for us. We just need to continue reclaiming the glory.”
Chiefs haven’t won the knockout cup under the Nedbank Cup sponsorship and Khune believes this adds extra motivation to the tie for his side.
“Most definitely, it’s an extra motivation, having worked all the way from the last 32 to the final, it hasn’t been an easy journey for us, but I think to be in the final, we definitely have to go out there and win it,” added the Chiefs keeper.
The 25-year-old expects a tough game against SuperSport United adding that the PSL encounter a week ago was a good test for either side.
“Obviously it was a good encounter (the 1-1 draw in the PSL); it was a good test for us. We now know their weaknesses and strengths as much as they know our weaknesses and strengths, but for us it would be great to go out there and put smiles on our supporter’s faces,” said Khune.
“It is not going to be easy to win, but we are preparing very well for that,” concluded Khune.
SuperSport United captain Kermit Erasmus, who scored in last year’s final praised the 2012/2013 PSL champions, but added that the two sides are heading to KwaZulu-Natal as equals.
“It is going to be a tough game; I think if we can defend well and do our best as a unit, there is no reason why we can’t get a good result. We are going there as equals, whoever wants it more will get it deservedly,” said Erasmus.
“Obviously their possession game, their inter passing has been really good this season and their movement upfront has been really good and I think if we can just contain the pressure and do our best in attack and keep the ball going forward I think we can do well.”
